Wild Girl for a Week
by Villain84
Summary: After six years of being Queen of Deltora, Jasmine wishes she could have one last day to be the Wild Girl in the Forests of Silence again. She makes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin for it. Big Mistake! NOT ABANDONED
1. Chapter 1: Royal Life

The sun peaked through the balcony window of Lief and Jasmine's bed chamber. Its rays reached up across the floor, the up to the bed, and over Jasmine's face. The sudden warmth and bright light stirred her awake. She opened her eyes, blinked through her morning blurriness, and slowly crawled out of bed, careful not to wake Lief just yet.

She did not waste time admiring her room. She had been living it it for the past five years as it was. There were potted plants here and there. The walls were painted with blue, green and purple designs resemble the colors of a vineyard or forest. There was a few glass windows in the ceiling, which was high above their heads, meant to let the sunlight shine through when it was high enough. The windows were set in a design meant to resemble that of a flower.

None of these pretty designs truly intrigued Jasmine, especially not now that she was use to them. She was sure that many other kings and queens of Deltora before her had also customized their bed chambers in similar matters. Besides, it was all a poor attempt to make her feel more at home in a forest.

There were two finely carved wardrobes at one corner of the room, one for her and one for Lief. Next to those was a dresser with a large mirror and drawers containing several different materials. On top of the dresser was a small basket filled with straw, and nestled comfortably, and sleeping soundly in that straw was Filli, the small furry creature who was one of Jasmine's constant companions.

Atop a coat rack near the door, which also held a few robes and coats, was Jasmine's other companion, Kree, the black bird. He was also still asleep, his head tucked into his chest. These two animals had been Jasmine's two oldest and closest friends. They had known her since she was a small girl living alone in the Forests of Silence.

Those days seemed so far behind her now. It had been six years now since the year that the Shadow Lord was defeated once and for all, when his Four Sisters plan thwarted by Lief, Barda, Jasmine, and the help of all of their companions, including the Dragons of Deltora. That was also the year of the day Lief and Jasmine were married, and overall, Deltora was finally at peace.

Barda, despite being married to Lindal, and the father of six, still worked as the chief palace guard, and was planning on retiring after one more year of service. Jasmine's father, whom everyone even herself still called Doom, had been on enjoying his own retirement, exploring the world of Deltora, studying the amazing creatures in it, and having all sorts of wild adventures. Jasmine would have liked to go with him, not stay in this wretched palace with her queenly duties. And now, Doom was back in Del from his adventures, and had been living in the palace for the last few days, planning on setting out again the next day. Since then, he had been spending time with his family and helping Lief and Jasmine with their duties. It had been much easier to Jasmine to talk to him and think of him as her father.

Sharn, Lief's mother was planning on retiring herself in another year, though she had not thought of where she would go or what she would do when she did. As she did after the Shadow Lord was pushed from Del, Sharn had worked as Lief and Jasmine's top advisor and assistant. Ranesh was also a very handy advisor. He had always given good advice to the King and Queen, been a useful spokesman for them when they were unable to fulfill that role, and almost always seemed to know what to do. He was a good friend to the royal couple for a long time, just as his wife, Marilen was.

Marilen still worked as the palace librarian, spending most of her time in the library, and always provided the family information when they needed it. She was also proving to be a good school teacher for Lief and Jasmine's children, as well as her own son, Josef, named after Ranesh's deceased foster father. Josef was six years of age now, Anna was five, and the twins, Endon and Jarred, were now three. All of them were great friends. In particular, Jarred and Endon were inseparable brothers, just as their grandparents, their namesakes, were.

All was well in Deltora. King Lief was ruling the land fairly and wisely, keeping everyone's faith in him. The Shadow Lord had not made any attempts to breach the peace of the land since the Four Sisters plot was foiled. All of the people who have suffered from the Shadow Lord's reign were recovering, and getting their lives back on track. Most had already done so. Now that the Four Sisters were destroyed, the land was no longer being poisoned. Deltora's crops, livestock, and economy were all jostling and were more lively than ever. All of the seven main tribes, as well as some of the minors like Broome and D'Or, were all united and were working together happily and peacefully. Everyone was happy.

So why was Jasmine not so?

For the last six years of her life, every day had been the same routine, with a few exceptions such as birthdays, business trips and tours, and vacations. Every day it was get up, bathe, have breakfast, tend to the children, tend to the people waiting in the , have lunch, maybe have some free time, perhaps time with Lief if he was not busy, then tend to the people some more, go over some royal documents that needed attention, answer messages from other tribes, make plans with the rest of the council, have supper, get ready for bed.

It was maddening for Jasmine. She was so sick of all those jobs and duties she had to follow. She was sick of the fine clothes, of good food, of manners, of servants hardly letting her do anything (aside from political decisions) herself. She had been living this elegant life for far too long for her liking, and Filli and Kree would agree, particularly Kree, who had grown tired of being the palace's top messenger bird. They, like here, were wild animals, and they belonged in the wild, in the forests.

And what did she give it all up for? For Lief? For her children? It was certainly not for the good of Deltora. Lief could have had any girl he wanted for his queen. She had seen many girls and women her age display interest in Lief. But no. He picked _her_, because he loved _her_, and although she was occasionally ashamed to admit it, she loved _him_.

She also loved her children. Anna was a free-spirited, rebellious girl, much like her mother, and was occasionally found shirking her lessons and chores, though nothing to the point of which it was time to worry. Usually, Anna was very dutiful. Jarred and Endon were still very young, so their personalities have not fully developed yet, but as mentioned before, the were inseparable. You have never seen two brothers who loved each other more, never such close best friends. Of course, they occasionally fought over a few small things, but not that often, and someone was always there to help them sort it out when they could not do it themselves.

Of course, the first year, perhaps the second as well, was not horrible for Jasmine. Her family made it bearable for her. But as the next few years rolled by, her family's love did not seem to have as much of an affect on her. She also started to become accustom to palace life, and she did not like that. She did not like what she was becoming, and every day struggled to fight it, now recently more than ever. And now, Jasmine was wondering if this was the life she was doomed to lead for the rest of her days.

These thoughts were going through Jasmine's mind as she picked out a gown and other clothes from her wardrobe, and took them with her to her personal wash room, still careful not to wake Lief, Kree, or Filli just yet.

* * *

><p>Once she was bathed and dressed for the day, Jasmine walked back to her room to check on Filli and Kree. Both were awake at this time. Lief had left the room. Jasmine figured he was down at the kitchen for breakfast, and now everyone was waiting for her to come. That was how it was every morning. Just then, she remembered that Kree was taking the day off. So, she let Filli hop onto her shoulder, and left Kree alone in the room.<p>

She headed down the hallways, her expensive boots making a knocking sound on the marble floor. She hated these boots, as oppose to her regular, messy, probably worn-down boots. She passed by the guards, at the door ways, many of whom still did not show her emotion or say a word to her. She had become friendly with a few guards, but some still believed she was a witch or a criminally insane person who would kill them if they upset her. She hated that sort of harsh beliefs. She longed to get away from such judgmental people.

At last she arrived at the kitchen, and sure enough, everyone else in the council was already there, at their seats, waiting for her to begin eating.

"Good morning, mother!" Anna called out cheerfully.

Jasmine took a deep breath for a second, trying to let go of her anxiety for a moment for her daughter. "Good morning, my dear." She said. "And a good morning to the rest of you." It was some of the same words she had been using almost frequently the last few years.

Jasmine took her usual seat in between Lief and Ranesh. Everyone said their good mornings to her before the meal began. Some of the others may have been discussing some political matters while they ate, but Jasmine did not pay much attention to it. She continued eating her breakfast of griddle cakes with strawberries and blueberries.

"Would you not agree, Jasmine?" Ranesh suddenly asked, interrupting her meal.

"I am sorry, what now?" Jasmine replied, trying hard not to show her disdain.

"That if Raladin and D'Or both have their eyes set on a gold mine, they should combine mining efforts rather than argue on which one should mine."

"Yes. I do think that would be best." Jasmine said carelessly before taking another bite of her griddle cake.

"You see. Exactly my thought." Sharn spoke up.

"Grandfather," Endon called out, "May we hear later of the time you were taken to the Shadowlands?"

"I am afraid not, Endon." Doom chuckled. "You parents do not want me telling you that story until you were a little older." He glanced up and smiled at Lief, who winked back at him. The twins both moaned with disappointment. "But I will tell you after your lessons of my most recent trip around Where Waters Meet, where I ran into a small group of Pirates." This aroused excitement in the boys. They adored their grandfather as much as they did their parents, perhaps more so.

After breakfast, Marilen was the first to get up as usual. "Alright, children, off to the library for our lesson today." She took little Josef's hand and walked to the kitchen doors with him. Lief and Jasmine's children followed closely behind her. Jasmine noticed a mischievous look that Jarred and Endon shared. She could tell they were planning on sneaking out of their lesson today.

Again, she cursed herself for not doing what a proper parent would do, and taking them aside to talk some discipline into them. As she remembered it, that was what her parents did when she misbehaved in the forests. Instead, she was taking the queenly approach and allowing the palace staff to parent them.

Another few minutes, and soon everyone else in the kitchen was well fed and ready to go about their day and deal with their normal duties. Lief gave Jasmine the usual peck on the cheek, and went on to his study to deal with whatever the advisors brought him. Lief did not make the same mistakes that the previous kings and queens have made. He carefully read whatever he was signing, and his advisors were hand selected.

Jasmine followed Sharn down to the entrance hall to meet the people and their demands. On the way, Sharn noticed Jasmine's look of distain, and made an attempt to cheer her up.

"I know you are tired of this routine, Jasmine." She said, smiling at her. "But-"

"But what, Sharn?" Jasmine hissed back, clearly showing how foul a mood she was in. Sharn had often tried to cheer her up after she had shown her distaste in these jobs.

Shocked, Sharn turned away, her smile faded. "You must try to retain your temper." She whispered at last. "You have been doing very well lately."

"What is the point?" Jasmine said stubbornly. "Every day is just the same exact thing. There seems to be no light at the end of this tunnel."

"Just hang in there, Jasmine." Sharn said again. She often times, much like this time, did not know exactly what to say to soothe Jasmine's rage, especially lately, when her anger and frustration had become more volatile than usual. She thought dearly of her daughter-in-law. Jasmine often tried to think of Sharn as her second mother. And although Sharn was an excellent mother, and a dear friend to Jasmine, Sharn could never truly replace Anna, Jasmine's true mother.

At last, they had reached the vast entrance hall. There was a large crowd of people there already, as there always was nearly every time of the day. Since the defeat of the four sisters, the crowds have turned up with less haggard, filthy figures. Now, mostly everyone was healthy and well fed.

* * *

><p>It was a long morning, answering dozens of questions and concerns that the people had. Many had to do with asking for more metal or imports for the city of Del, or other villages, for there were folk from many different villages in the room. Sharn and Jasmine have promised to provide aid for the small bits, and for the large decisions, told them that they would see what they could do, and they would discuss it with King Lief.<p>

Jasmine had also seen a few familiar faces in the hall that morning. Gers, the leader of the Jalis Tribe, had come with a few more Jalis to claim a shipment of metal they had ordered a week ago, and now were asking where to collect it. Manus and a few Raladins had come to make a few renovations to the palace after a recent accident, and were asking for a few extra plans. Steven the peddler had come asking for a few new imports he had ordered.

Finally, it was all over, and Jasmine could go on a lunch break. Sharn stayed to answer the questions of the people. She was more than capable of handling the people herself. The main reason Jasmine was there was to gain experience with it for when Sharn passed or retired and it would become her duty entirely.

She headed back to the kitchen, and met with Marilen there, who was eating a bowl of soup.

"Hello Jasmine." She smiled and greeted her dear friend warmly.

"Hello." Jasmine replied, her attitude rising slightly at the thought of repentance.

Suddenly, Marilen's smile fadded. "Jasmine, I am sorry, but I fear Jarred and Endon have run away again, leaving our lesson today."

"It is no big deal." Jasmine replied carelessly. "I am sure they will turn up sooner or later."

"Is something wrong?" Marilen asked, confused. "Lately you have not been as worried about some situations as I would expect you to, or as you have been in the past."

"Marilen," Jasmine answered in a know-it-all tone, "we face these problems every day, and they always work themselves out in the end. There is no need to worry about them. I will be worried when there is something big to be worried about."

With a concerned face, Marilen awkwardly returned to eating her soup, as Jasmine got to hers. After another few minutes, Barda came into the room. "Jasmine," he called, "There are some documents in the study you must look at."

With a huff, Jasmine got up from her seat and followed him to the study. There, she found Lief, who was skimming over a document. At his sides were Ranesh and a few more advisors.

"Ah, Jasmine." He exclaimed as he looked up and saw her come in. "Tell me what you think of this." He passed her the document he was holding. It seemed to be a request from a nearby island off the south coast, requesting permission to build a port with Del.

"Well, I believe we should-" Jasmine barely got to finish her sentence when suddenly, another door to the study swung open, and out popped Jarred and Endon. Endon was holding Monte, Lief's old kin doll, which was now one of the boys' favorite toys, out of Jarred's reach.

"There you two are." Lief remarked, walking over to his sons. "What have I told you about sneaking away from Aunt Marilen's lessons?"

"Come on!" Jarred whined. "Let me have a turn with him! You have had him for so long today!"

"My turn just started." Endon whined back. Neither of them payed any attention to their father, who came over and tried to break them up, but they ducked out of his reach and started running around the room like they were on fire.

Jasmine just watched for a moment as Lief tried to take care of the problem. It was rather amusing to her.

"So, Jasmine, you were saying?" Ranesh's voice suddenly broke her silence.

"Oh, yes." She stuttered. "We are friendly with the people on this island, yes? I think if we opened trade with them, it would be a good chance for trade for Deltora, and we can protect another nation from the influence of the Shadow Lord."

"Yes, but to set up the port would take months and a lot of money." Barda interjected.

"Well, we have all of that, do we not?" Jasmine hissed.

Suddenly, the door burst open again, and into the room rushed a small crowd of people. Sharn was trailing right behind them, so they must have been a few of the people in the entrance hall. They must have worked their way past Sharn to come speak to Lief, or Jasmine.

Gers was amongst the crowd. He stormed up to Jasmine. "Jasmine!" He shouted, "Everyone keeps saying the shipment was suppose to arrive at high noon today. It is now three hours late!"

"Be patient you stubborn oaf!" She snapped "It will arrive when it arrives! Ugh! You are just as stubborn as your brother, Glock!"

"What did you say?"

"Your highness," Manus stuttered, "What parts of the palace did you want us to fix up?" He took out a scroll with a blue print of the palace, and opened it up before Jasmine.

"I do not remember!" Jasmine muttered. "Ask Ranesh. He would know."

Gla-Thon, who must have ridden in on a kin, entered also. "We have brought that sap you ordered, your majesty. Where would you like us to leave it?"

"Ask a guard!" Jasmine hissed. Her temper was rising fast. So many people were asking her questions all at once. It was more than she could take.

"Your highness," one knight came in and complained, "There are two elderly merchants selling their products without a permit in the market.

This one came close to making Jasmine explode. "So? Arrest them! Do you really need me to tell you that?"

"Your highness, please." One citizen pleaded. "My husband is ill and there is no more room at the inn for the wounded."

"There is a room near the entrance hall where you can take him where he will be comfortable." Barda announced, trying to give Jasmine some space.

It did not work too well. The people crowded around Jasmine on all sides, shouting at her, asking her favors, demanding requests of her. Meanwhile her sons still ran about the room like animals, still fighting over Monte.

Jasmine could not take it, she covered her ears, gave a brief scream, pushed her way through the crowd, and slammed against the desk, supporting herself on her hands.

Everyone's questions paused for a moment. All eyes turned to Jasmine. Curious gazes locked upon her, making her feel even more uncomfortable.

Suddenly, Jasmine had had it. Something inside of her snapped. She had to get away from these people. She must. She will.

"Jasmine." Lief said softly, "Are you alright?"

Seeing a chance to voice his needs, one man stepped closer to Jasmine.

"My lady, please, will you-" He never got to finish, Jasmine snatched her dagger from her sash, and swipped at the man, cutting his arm. The man clutched his arm, and shouted in pain. All the other people stopped and stared longer. A few let out light gasps.

After seeing that the shriek was over, Jarred and Endon went back to their tom foolery, running around like animals, when suddenly, they ran passed Jasmine. Jasmine stood in their way. She reached down and aggressively snatched Monte from Endon's hands. And then, she slapped Endon across the face, and then Jarred. Everyone in the room gasped this time.

"Jarred, Endon, I have had enough of you today!" Jasmine scolded. "You two will go back down stairs to the library, you will sit through Aunt Marilen's lesson, and you will not make a peep for the rest of the day! Do you understand me?"

"Y-Yes, mother." Both boys whimpered in unison. Both were on the verge of tears.

"Good. Now go!" She snapped again. Scarcely holding back their crying, both boys ran out the door towards the library.

When they were gone, Jasmine looked about the room again, staring angrily back at all of the shocked faces. When she turned to Lief in particular, his face went from shock to anger. Without another word. Jasmine stormed out of the study, and headed for her bedchamber.

* * *

><p>Still furious, Jasmine rushed into hers and Lief's bedchamber, and slammed the door, startling Kree. She was furious at herself for what she had just done. She had attacked an innocent citizen, and more importantly, deeply hurt her two sons. She was furious at countless other things.<p>

She stomped over to the dresser, and looked at herself in the mirror. Filli hopped off her shoulder, onto the top, and sympathetically stared back at her.

What she saw was something beautiful and at the same time hideous. Her reflection was someone she did not know. The woman before her had well combed black hair, expensive diamond earrings and hair band. Her face and arms, which eight years ago were roughed and hardened by dried mud, were all washed and smoothed out. Around her neck was a necklace with a blue gem that sparkled like the lapis lazuli that Lief had gotten her for her twenty-first birthday. She was wearing an elegant, light-red colored silk gown.

She hated the image. She reached up to her face, and tore the earrings out of her ears, though carefully as to not to rip her own flesh and start bleeding. She then yanked the golden hair band off the top of her head, and threw all the jewelry at the wall, making them shatter. She grabbed and tore at her hair, intending to mess it up and tangle it. It was working.

She took a second to breath after looking at her wilder reflection. She then noticed that she had not torn off the necklace Lief had given her. She reached up and felt the tiny blue gem between her fingers.

Suddenly, the door to the room swung open, and in stomped Lief, who looked just as angry as she was. Jasmine saw through the mirror.

"Unbelievable." He snapped. "I cannot believe what happened back there."

"Tell me about it!" Jasmine hissed before turning to face him. "Those villagers-"

"I am not talking about the people, Jasmine. I am talking about you. Jarred and Endon were only playing around. Sure, they could use a little discipline, but how could you suddenly turn so cruel on them? And that man. Was it really necessary to attack him as you did?"

"Those people should not have been up there to begin with. Is there not a rule that all commoners must stay in the lower floors in the entrance hall?" Jasmine retorted.

"Oh, so _now_ the rules are convenient for you to follow?" Lief asked sarcastically.

"Well, Lief. I use to live my life without rules or duties. Now, I do not even have the freedom to choose how to talk to people, how to spend my day, or even what to wear for that matter."

Lief took a moment to think about what to say. He knew Jasmine better than anyone. He understood exactly what she was thinking. After a second, he tried again to speak to her more calmly.

"Well, so you do not have quite as much freedom as you use to have. But think about it for a minute. It may not be such a bad thing. And besides, did you think that you could stay in the Forests of Silence forever?"

Jasmine was still too angry to think about anything. "I would not expect you to understand." She snarled. "You have had your parents to look after you and raise you your entire life, like a normal boy!"

Hurt by his wife's final words, Lief simply glared angrily back at her, not knowing what to say.

Jasmine walked away from him, and out through the window doors to the balcony. She looked out at the hideous city of Del. The sun had begun its descent, and the sky was lit a brilliant orange and yellow blend. Lief walked up behind her again, still glaring at her.

At last, Jasmine took a deep breath and started speaking again, trying to keep her temper lower. "Look, I just wish that everything could go back to the way it use to be. Back when I lived a life of solitude in the Forests of Silence, and everyone left me alone. When I could run about the forests without a care or responsibility in the world. When I could do what I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it. Back when I was free, and life was sweet!" She turned away to the railing, supporting herself on her arms again, and looked back out into Del.

"You mean back before you rescued me and Barda from the Wennbar?" Lief asked, getting angry again. "Back when the Shadow Lord ruled over Deltora, and destroyed hundreds of lives every day?"

"EXACTLY!" Jasmine shrieked at him. She was especially angry now because Lief had reminded her of her mother and father.

Lief, more hurt than before, took a step back. His expression changed from anger to sadness. He knew that Jasmine had longed for the freedom she had in the forests. He had done everything he could to try to make her feel more at home. And still, she despised being his queen this much.

At last, he took a step closer to Jasmine, placed his hands on her shoulders, looked into her emerald green eyes, and spoke softly. "Jasmine, you have three, wonderful children. A husband who loves you. Dozens of friends who care deeply for you. Why is that not enough for you?"

Still Jasmine's expression barely changed. At last, he released her shoulders, and slowly turned around, and headed for the door out of their bedchamber. When he reached the door, he slowly opened, and gave one last look at Jasmine, still at the balcony.

"I pray you will be able to apologize to Jarred, Endon, and that man before the end of the day." He said before shaking his head and leaving the room, closing the door behind him. He was most likely going back to deal with his kingly duties.

Jasmine slowly walked back into the room. Filli and Kree and heard everything, and were looking at Jasmine with looks of both sympathy and confusion. Not wanting to talk, Jasmine simply crossed her arms and did not say a word to them.

Jasmine felt suffocated, and cramped. She needed to get away from this palace. Away from this city. But she could not go out in her current dress. She quickly changed into a dress slightly less formal and elegant, and then took a large, dark cloak to cover her entirely, save her face. She also kept her dagger strapped to her like she always did, and also snatched a sack of gold coins in case she needed it.

She called Filli into her collar, and Kree onto her arm. "We are going for a walk. I need to get out of here." She said to them. They hurried down the stairs, and out through the gardens and to the gates. Nobody paid her any trouble in her disguise. And once they were outside, Kree took to the skies and got to fly around freely. The three wandered through the gates and into the city streets of Del.


	2. Chapter 2: Rumpelstiltskin

As she wandered through the streets of Del, no body seemed to pay her any notice. It as a good thing she had the dusty, ragged, hooded robe to conceal her, to disguise her, make look like a commoner. Had it not been for that, the villagers would see her face, and pester her even more. Filli clung to her shoulder, also hidden under the hood. Kree flew above, nobody suspecting him to be anything aside from a common crow.

Finally, they had reached the outskirts of Del, on the trail through the lands of Deltora. Jasmine moved off to the side of the road, so that no travelers would notice her, and into the trees along side. When she was far away from the road and any people who may bother her, she took off her hood, giving herself a wider range of vision. She gazed out at the wide range of trees, not a human in her sight. She clearly heard the song of birds, and squirrels and mice chittering amongst the trees. She took a deep breath, smelled the fresh air and scent of the forest. Already she was feeling more at peace. She was at home in the forest, away from people and from civilization, from the life as the queen of Deltora.

But she knew this could not last forever, she knew she had to go back at some point. She knew she had to return to her responsibilities, to her duty as Queen, to her family. She knew she would have to enjoy this afternoon as much as she could. But she could not bring herself to complete happiness today. She was still angry at Lief.

Why did he have to be King? Why did she have to marry him? Why did she have to join the quest to save Deltora? She was not meant to be a Queen. She was a wild girl from the Forests of Silence. Why could she not have stayed like that?

She tried hard to put such thoughts out of her mind. She breathed in the forest scent and listened more to the birdsong. Kree fluttered down and landed on her arm, and hopped up onto her shoulder. Suddenly, her breathing was interrupted by a sudden cry for help.

"Help! Someone! Anyone! Please! Help Me! I beg you!"

The scratchy voice seemed to be that of a little boy, and he was in pain. Curious and worried, Jasmine walked on over to where the sound was coming from. On a dirt trail, she came across a large carriage, hauled by a giant, beastly-looking goose. One wheel on the carriage had been knocked off, and it had fallen down.

Under the carriage was the leg of a scrawny little man, who had bee screaming in pain the whole time. He wore ragged, brown, leather clothes, and seemed rather goblin like in appearance, with an oddly large chin, elvin ears, and shortly cut, messy brown hair.

"Help! For the Lord's sake! Anyone!" The man was desperately trying to pull his leg out and free himself.

"Calm down." Jasmine called, approaching him. "I will help you." She must have been approaching to quickly, for the man turned startled to her, and became even more frightened.

"Ah! No! Please!" the man wailed. "Do not rob me, miss! I have barely anything to offer!"

"I am not here to rob you." Jasmine hissed. "I can help."

"Oh, thank you miss." The man pleaded. "I am sorry for my outburst. It is just in your clothes, I have mistaken you for the kind of person who may rob me."

"So, you're leg is stuck?" Jasmine replied, trying to ignore his last comment. She was reminded of when she lived in the Forests of Silence, and robbed anyone who was rendered immobile by the Wenn.

"Yes." He replied. "I think it is broken as well."

Jasmine put her finger to her chin, thinking of what to do. Perhaps if she could find a small log, she could lever the carriage up enough to let the man out. But her strength would not be enough for such a task. She looked over at the goose standing at the front of the carriage for a moment, its reins loose, pecking down at the ground, probably at some insects, and an idea struck her.

"May I borrow your goose for a moment?" she asked the man.

"Fifi?" He replied, confused. "Sure, I suppose."

Jasmine walked over to the large goose. Larger than Barda, it was truly a frightening creature, with filthy, ruffled feathers, jagged teeth it its beak, and dark-red, snake-like eyes. It reminded her somewhat of an Ak-Baba.

"Fifi," She said in a tone both strict and soft, "You master needs help. Come with me to help him."

The goose, understanding her, simply honked in agreement, and waddled over towards her. She felt Filli shiver in fear against her neck. Kree had hopped off of her other shoulder to the one of the functioning wheels of the carriage.

Jasmine motioned for the goose to follow her. She spotted a log at the side of the road, and lead Fifi over towards it. The little man watched her in amazement.

"Are you speaking to her?" He demanded. "How are you doing that?"

"I have always been able to speak to birds." Jasmine replied, picking up one end of the log in her hands while Fifi got the other end under her head. "It is not sorcery; Birds have always been close companions of mine." She gestured Kree. Together, she and Fifi hauled the log over to the carriage.

The man continued to stare at her astounded, then by the looks of his face, Jasmine could tell he was pondering something. No doubt he had heard of hers, Lief's, and Barda's adventures. Everyone in Deltora had, as much as they knew Adin. The man was probably making the connection, as the idea of talking to birds sounded familiar to him.

Jasmine pushed the log under the carriage on the fallen corner, next to where the man's leg was. Then, she picked up a nearby rock, carried it over and placed it under the middle of the log.

"Fifi." She barked at the goose, "push down at your end!"

Fifi put one webbed foot over the log at her end, and shifted her weight over to it, pushing down hard on it. Gradually, the carriage was lifted enough, and the man pulled himself out from under it. Once he was out, Fifi let the carriage drop again, though the end of the log still remained under it, in tact.

"Oh, thank you miss." The relieved man replied gratefully, shortly before a frown returned to his face. "So, you're not going to rob me?"

"No." Jasmine said sarcastically. "I already have all of the riches I could possibly need." She did not say want because money still had no personal value to her.

"Really now?" The man replied curiously. Then, all of a sudden, a gleam of surprise and joy lit across his face. "Hold on, why did I not see it before? Talk to birds, riches, that raven black hair. You are Queen Jasmine, aren't you?"

"Yes." Jasmine groaned, getting annoyed, being reminded of her life. She suddenly started to regret helping this strange man.

"Oh my, your highness." The man stuttered, "It is an honor to be graced by your presence." He gave a bow with his arms, still sitting on the ground, his leg still broken.

"Do not give me that queen honor load!" Jasmine snapped. "I am really not in the mood today."

"Oh, I am so sorry. Please forgive me."

Jasmine took another deep breath, collecting herself again. She walked over to his side and knelt by him, and inspected his leg. She poked it slightly in some places, causing the man to yelp in pain in some cases, sometimes louder than others.

"None of your bones have completely snapped." She said at last. "There is just little crack here." She poked him slightly in the calf.

"Alright then." The man replied. "Thank goodness it is nothing serious. Would you kindly help me up. I just need to grab something from my carriage."

Jasmine put her arms around the man's waist as he gripped her shoulder, making her feel slightly uncomfortable. She half carried him to the door of his carriage, and then he pulled the door open, and, half limping half crawling, made his way inside.

Jasmine got a look inside the little man's carriage. It was slightly small, about the size of a cottage dining room, with a ceiling that went about as high as Barda's head, but still fit its looks from the outside. There was aroma of brilliantly spiced meat in the room, and a cracking fire to go along with it. Jasmine looked over and saw a black, iron oven in one corner of the room. The walls were all unpainted wood, the brownish hue of which was starting to fade in the light from the copper chandelier dangling from the ceiling in the middle. Under the chandelier was a well carved round table standing on one middle leg, with three chairs pushed into it. Also in the room was a large trunk, a unkempt mattress with a large green cloth blanket, a bookshelf with scrolls and papers, and a cabinet with drawers, which the man was standing over and going through.

"What is your name?" Jasmine asked curiously.

"Rumpelstiltskin." The man replied. "But please, call me Rumpel."

"That's a very odd name." Jasmine remarked.

"Well, it is the one mother gave me. I must stick with it." Rumpel replied. Finally, he took a small jar full of white tablets out of the drawer, then, carefully balancing himself on one foot without the support of the desk, he unscrewed the lid on the jar, and popped one tablet into his mouth. Next, he grabbed a small, crooked walking stick on the floor, and hobbled over on it to the door.

"Are you alright now?" Jasmine asked him as she stood aside and let him pass.

"Yes. That pill I took is a brilliant little thing. By this time tomorrow, my leg will have fully healed!"

"Excellent." Jasmine replied, satisfied.

"Would you mind terribly just helping me with the wheel now?" Rumpel asked in a sweet tone.

* * *

><p>By the time Rumpel and Jasmine had finished reattaching the wheel and setting the carriage right back up again, the sun was starting to set. Also, dark grey clouds loomed overhead, and Jasmine could smell the scent of rain.<p>

"Thank you so much for everything." Rumpel said with praise when they were done.

"You are welcome." Jasmine replied, though sullenly. She figured it was time to head back to the palace now. She seemed to have overstayed her walk. She had spent, more likely wasted that time helping this man who still seemed rather strange to her. Now it was time to head back to her royal palace life, and her duties as queen.

"Let's go, Kree." She called over to her black bird, who flew up into the sky for the little flight home. She got up and started walking back in the way she had come, toward Del.

"Hold on, where are you going?" Rumpel ran up and walked along side her, slightly to her annoyance.

"No where, Del I suppose." Jasmine grumbled.

"Really? I was on my way there myself." Rumpel replied. "Would you like to me to give you a ride?"

"No thank you." Jasmine replied sternly.

Suddenly, Rumpel jumped out in front of her, stopping her. "I insist." He said.

Jasmine glared at him, trying to signal him to leave her alone. It did not work.

"Please." He nearly pleaded. "It is the least I can do, after all you have done for me. And I enjoy your company."

Jasmine could tell he wanted something from her. She could tell that Rumpel was the kind of person who only did acts of kindness when they expected something in return. She sighed, showing her annoyance.

"Here. I will give you all of this gold if you leave me alone." She reached into her pocket and took out her coin sack. There must have been at least twenty or thirty pieces in it. She tossed it to Rumpel.

"I do not want your money." He replied shortly before tossing it back to her. "Would you rather not sit with me in my warm, dry carriage than walk home in the pouring rain?" Rumpel asked. "I am sure your friends would."

Jasmine looked down at Filli. He was looking at her with his big, black eyes, asking for the warmer, dryer transportation. Jasmine had a feeling that is the way Kree would prefer it too. But she still was not sure that she could trust this man.

"I have a hot weasel cooking." Rumpel offered. "It may be a little overcooked by now, but I am sure it is still delicious."

Jasmine rarely ate meat, only when she was absolutely hungry and there was nothing else to eat. But she was rather hungry at the moment, and she had never had weasel before. It may be an interesting thing to try. And by now, it became evident that this man was not going to let her go so easily.

"Alright. We will ride with you." Jasmine huffed at last.

"Yes! Thank you again." Rumpel rushed back to the carriage, and hooked Fifi back up to the reins. Jasmine held out her arm for Kree to land on, and trotted back over to the carriage.

Once Fifi was all strapped in, Rumpel rushed to the front door of the carriage and opened the door for Jasmine. His pill must have been working already if he was suddenly so mobile. He hopped in and Jasmine followed in.

"I thought perhaps we could take the scenic route." Rumpel pointed over to right next to the door. "You may hang up your hood on the rack over there."

Jasmine stepped into the carriage and reluctantly pulled off her robe from the top. She hung it by the hood on one of the upward facing hooks. Without the robe, her dress was exposed. A fine, red and grey dress, similar to the clothes she normally wore, only more lady-like, with a skirt that reached down to her knees, leaving her red stockings and boots. This was one of the outfits she was ashamed to wear. She was grateful that Rumpel did not seem to notice, and did not comment on it.

Rumpel was shaking up a small, metal canister he had taken from his desk. "So then," He said happily, "How about a nice, cold glass of fruit juice to cool down with?" He took out two clear glasses, unscrewed the lid of the canister, and poured a thick, bright red liquid into them. Then he took out a couple of cherries from the drawer and dipped one into each glass.

_Fruit._ Jasmine smiled. Now that was a taste she could almost never say 'no' to. Kree hopped up onto the coat rack, and got comfortable for the ride.


	3. Chapter 3: The Deal

It was pitch black out, and Fifi was happily hiking along the trail through the rain, while Jasmine and Rumpel sat at the table in the carriage, still enjoying their fruit juice. They were laughing together, as Jasmine told Rumpel the story of her life. What life was like in the Forest of Silence, about the many adventures she had with Lief and Barda, and about how her life was now, as Queen of Deltora. She had just finished telling Rumpel about a funny situation her sons, Jarred and Endon once got into. The whole time, Rumpel listened intently.

"It is amazing, is it not?" Rumpel spoke up dramatically when her story was finished and they had stopped laughing. "You have gone all the way from being a wild orphan girl in the Forests of Silence, a nobody, to a great hero of this land, and then to the Queen of Deltora, the top of the world!"

"It is incredible." Jasmine said in agreement. "It is the last life I ever would have expected for myself." _Or wanted._ She thought, her cheerful mood starting to fade away again.

"I must say, Jasmine." Rumpel continued to chatter. "I envy you. Queen, having the love of the people, a great family, limitless wealth, all of Deltora at your fingertips. You have one amazing life that some people would kill for. I cannot imagine how much you love your life." He took another sip of his juice.

"Yes, well, it is not as great as you might think." Jasmine said sullenly as she finished her cold, sweet glass of fruit juice.

"Hm?" Rumpel looked away from his glass and back to her again.

"Do you have any idea how many responsibilities and duties the queen must fulfill? And not having the freedom to talk to people how you wish, or even to dress up in the clothes you like? And on top of all that, taking care of my family is hard at times."

"Well, I never thought of it that way." Rumpel replied in a surprised tone. He set his glass down.

Jasmine reached into her glass and picked up the cherry. She looked over out the window, at the dark, story night, all the trees passing by, blowing in the wind. She listened to the soft pitter-patter of rain on the roof and window for a moment, and the occasional bang of thunder.

"The truth is, Rumpel," She said at last before popping her seedless cherry into her mouth, "Sometimes I wish I could have just one last day to be the wild girl in the Forests of Silence again."

"Really now?" Rumpel suddenly perked up. "Well, maybe I can help you with that."

"Hm?" Jasmine turned back to him, suddenly intrigued. "How?"

"Magic reality setting is my specialty!"

"You mean you are a sorcerer?"

"Well, I would not say sorcerer, but I do have these." He gestured behind him his array of scrolls and rolled up papers on the rack behind him. "Here, let me show you what I mean." He hopped out of his seat, took both his glass and Jasmine's empty glass off the table, and on to the counter, then he hopped up onto a stool, and began searching through the scrolls on the rack, picking them out, and briefly skimming the titles before shoving them back in.

Jasmine's heart sank. She just knew that this man wanted something from her. But he seemed to be offering her the one thing she wanted more than anything else at the time: Freedom. And so she could not help but listen to him with interest.

"Ah ha! Here we go!" Rumpel exclaimed excitedly. He took one rolled up paper out of the rack, hopped down, and spread it out on the table in front of Jasmine. The paper was a fancily decorated document with formal printing and a signature line at the bottom. A contract. At the top of the contract, there was a large title in lettering larger than the rest of the contract.

_WILD GIRL_

_for a week_

"It seems I do not have a contract for a day. A week was all I could find." Rumpel said. "But I think this is better, do you not? I mean instead of just one day, now you can have seven!"

Jasmine was confused. She thought she had an idea of what Rumpel was getting at, but it made no sense. She signed that contract, and she would get her wish?

"Are you saying that if I sign this contract, I can to be a wild girl again? How will this work?"

"Just that." Rumpel replied excitedly. "Think about it, Jasmine. One week of no worries, no responsibilities, away from palace walls and rules and life. Away from civilization itself."

Getting truly excited about the ordeal, Rumpel hopped off his chair, and right up next to Jasmine to make his point more clear. He put his arm around her shoulder. "You will just be a common street girl, no one will pay you any trouble. You can roam about the Forests as you please, get messy, eat like an animal. It will be just like the good old days of your life, back when the only thing you were queen of was the Forests of Silence, and your nest was your palace, and Filli and Kree here were your only companions. Back... when you... were free, and life... was sweet."

It all sounded wonderful to Jasmine. It sounded like a dream come true, a dream she had been having for the last six years of her life. And then it stuck her. This was all just a dream. It was all too good to be true. There was more to this than Rumpel was caring to say.

"And how much must I pay you for this?" She asked.

"Oh, there is no need to pay me now. All of my clients pay in due time. And with your wealth, you have nothing to worry about with price."

Suspicious as to what he meant by 'due time', she asked "What is the catch, then?"

"What do you mean 'catch'?" Rumpel asked, confused, though with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"What do you gain from this? What do I need to give?"

"A week." Rumpel replied .

"A week?" Jasmine repeated, confused.

Suddenly, a bell dinged. "Oh, that would be the weasel!" Rumpel exclaimed. He slid over to the oven, put some oven mits on his small, goblin-like hands, and opened the oven, and pulled out a thin, long tray with a long, fat, dark brown, sizzling lump of meat. Embedded next to the weasel was a cluster of onions, garlic, squash, and other vegetables.

Jasmine could not help but feel sorry for the poor little weasel, and have some guilt for getting ready to eat the creature. But he was already dead, and Rumpel was eating him, so there was not much point in letting it pass by.

"Well, you cannot get something for nothing, you know." Rumpel said, setting down the tray. "In this case, to make the magic work, you must give a week to get a week, you see?"

And then, suddenly, another thought came to Jasmine's mind. "Wait," she said. "I cannot simply leave my family, and my duties."

"Oh, no need to worry about that, Jasmine." Said Rumpel reassuringly. "It is a magical contract. No one will know you are gone." And then he spoke in a sweet, promising voice. "And by the time this week is over, you will feel like a fresh, new woman."

Just then, Kree gave out a cry. It was a warning cry, as though he sensed danger. Filli also started acting up. His fur stood up in spikes, and he gave a light growl and angry glare at Rumpel. Clearly, they both sensed trouble, trouble that they believed Rumpel to be the center of.

Jasmine took notice of their warning, though she still wanted that week off. "I am still not so sure about it." She said to Rumpel.

"Well, it is no big deal. Do not stress yourself out over it." He replied cheerfully. He took out a large fork and carving knife and turned back to the weasel.

Jasmine looked down at the contract again, reading over the fine print and thinking about signing it. She was imagining what it would be like, to swing through the tree tops again on a vine. To tease the wenn and wennbar again. To find all sorts of treasures in the dead bodies of travelers who have been killed in forest, eating the ripest fruits, berries and nuts freshly picked. And most of all, of no people in need of her, disrupting her paradise.

It was the life that she had missed and dreamed of many nights, the life she wanted back, the life she must have back.

"So, what week of my life would I have to give up?" she asked Rumpel as he carved the weasel.

"Any week really." he replied without looking up. "A week from your past. Perhaps a week you were ill, or a week you had to sit through a boring political affair. Maybe a week you were dragged out somewhere you did not want to go, like a bad vacation you want to forget."

Just then, he finished carving the weasel, and handed Jasmine a plate with the bottem end up to the top of the hind legs. The tail had been cut off. There was also a seasoned potato and a few carrots and string beans on the side.

Jasmine thought for another minute, trying to think of what week to take out of her life.

"Say, I know." Rumpel exclaimed. "Why not a week you do not even remember? Perhaps a week when you were a baby. An innocent, mindless, carefree baby."

"I cannot give up those days." Jasmine replied, sadness returning as she remembered her parents. "The days I was a baby are very precious to me. Those were the days where I lived in the forests with my mother and father. All three of us were happy together. You should know that. I just told you about it!"

"Do not worry, you will still have the memories of that week. That is something I cannot and will not take from you. Actually, it does not have to be a week you were with your parents. A week from your childhood can be any age up to thirteen years."

Jasmine was relieved. She could loose one of the weeks she spent without her parents' love. "Okay then. In that case, let us say a week from my childhood."

"Splendid!" Rumpel cheered. He went into his drawer and grabbed up a feather pen and a vial of ink, and set them on the table. Just as he uncorked the ink, however, Kree suddenly swooped down and started pecking and flapping at Rumpel's head. Rumpel screamed, covered his head, and swung his arms to try and shoo away the attacker.

"KREE!" Jasmine shouted at him. "What are you doing? Stop that right now!" She grabbed Kree around his tiny body, her fingers holding down his wings. She pulled him closer and looked him in the eyes.

"You wicked thing! Why would you do that?" She snapped "Stay right there and do not move for the rest of the night!" Angrily, she smashed him against the rim of the table, leaving him there, standing straight up. He dared not move again, least he invoke her wrath.

"I am so sorry about that." She pleaded Rumpel. "Are you alright?"

Rumpel was rubbing his scalp where Kree had pecked him. "Oh, do not worry. I will be fine. No serious damage. Shall we get down to business?"

Rumpel took the feather pen, and dipped the dip into the ink. Oddly, the ink was golden, not black. And when one drop slipped off back into the vile, it made a light puff of golden smoke.

Jasmine let out a sigh of relief that Rumpel was not angry with her. She lifted her fork and took a piece of the weasel's back, then lifted it to her mouth. The meat was tender, salty, and spicy, and slightly bitter. And suddenly, she thought of a new idea.

"Rumpel, you are sending me through this week with Filli and Kree, not on m own, right."

"Well, normally, the contract only applies to whomever signed up, but I am adding in that part right now for your case." He was busy writing up a new clause on a set of dotted lines on the contract, saying that the person signing it may involve two companions in her situation. He also added in the "week taken" section 'a week from childhood'.

"Okay then." Rumpel spoke up. "Everything is set in the fine print. Are you ready?"

Jasmine thought about it for another second. "I suppose there is nothing wrong with wanting a little time to myself."

"Of course not." Rumpel replied in agreement. "It is only seven tiny little days."

"I am still my own woman."

"Yes, you is!"

"I never needed to ask for anyone's permission before to do anything!"

"So why start now?" Rumpel pushed the contract closer to Jasmine, and handed her the pen.

Filli was on her shoulder, shivering. He looked at her, and shook his tiny little head. Kree also looked at her, warning her to take caution in his eyes.

_Do not sign it!_ A small voice in her head seemed to scream. She did not know entirely what she was about to get herself into. She was still not entirely sure she could trust Rumpel.

But he was promising her a week's worth of freedom. A week away from her wretched palace life, away from her duties, away from Lief. This was an offer she could not turn down. She must have this week off. She deserved it. She would have it.

"Go on Jasmine, sign it." Rumpel stuttered.

_No Jasmine, you must not! Do not do it!_

_Silence!_ She snapped at the voice in her mind. _I am making this deal. I am getting what I deserve and want._

Jasmine put the tip of the pen down on the paper, and began writing the J in her name.

Filli was sweating now. He was shaking his head like crazy, whimpering. Begging Jasmine to stop. Kree was cawing over to her, also trying to make her stop.

"Go on, Jasmine!" Rumpel hissed, almost angry, fueled by impatience. He was shaking now too.

Jasmine was done with the M now.

_NO!_ screamed the voice in her head

_Shut up!_ She screamed back.

"Sign it Jasmine, Sign it!" Rumpel yelled at her.

Finally, she finished the E. _Jasmine _lay across over the dotted signature line.

"You- You signed it." Rumpel gasped. Filli and Kree fell silent all of a sudden, eyes wide.

"Well, what happens now?" Jasmine asked.

"Have a nice week." Rumpel replied happily, and then suddenly, he started cackling maniacally. It was a nasally laugh, but still a very wicked, sinister, mocking one.

Suddenly, there was a _poof_, and Rumpel disappeared in a cloud of yellow smoke.

Next, the pen in Jasmine's hand disappeared in a cloud of smoke, and then so did several objects in the room.

There was a loud, roaring sound, like a terrible storm was tearing down an entire village. The inside of the carriage began to fall apart, as though it were a jigsaw puzzle, with all of its pieces being blown out. The pieces became a flock of bats, swarming around Jasmine.

Filli clung to Jasmine's shoulder, his eyes shut tight. Kree flew into Jasmine, and she shielded him with both her arms.

The room continued to spin and collapse into a roaring whirlwind of bats against a background as golden as the ink she had signed her name with.

Jasmine felt the floor under her piece away, leaving her floating in mid air in the golden void, swarmed by the bats. She felt herself being helplessly swerved and tossed and thrown in all sorts of directions, spinning and tumbling out of control. She was screaming in terror, and eventually shut her eyes.

And suddenly, as quickly as it had come, the swarm ended, and Jasmine felt her body being tossed and rolled along a dirt road. She finally stopped rolling, and everything was still. Absolutely still.

**Author's note: Well, that's all I have now on this story. I hope I've gotten everyone off to a good start. It took me a long time to write this first part, particularly the first chapter because I had a difficult time picturing Jasmine's outburst. Had it not been for the song "Reflection" by Christina Aguilera, I probably would not have gotten through it.**

**A few things I want to point out quick: This Rumpelstiltskin is pretty much the same one from the last Shrek movie, though I would prefer not to call this story a crossover. Also, it may seem that way now, but this will not follow the exact same plot as the last Shrek movie. I will add a few more things. The main pairing, of course, will be Lief X Jasmine, with some hints of Lief X Neridah, Lief X OC, and Dain X Neridah.**

**It may be a while before I can update this story. I have many others that I need to work on, though I might update sooner if there is popular demand for it.**

**I'd like to thank anyone who cares to read, subscribe, or review my story. Thank you, and I'll see you next time.**


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